Entering the Season of Advent

Friends, the Christmas decorations are up and the trees are lit; what a wonderful time of year! It's a little different to be celebrating Christ's birth without snow on the ground, but we are thankful for the beautiful days here. Our school time gives us the opportunity to talk about why Jews (as a rule) don't celebrate Christmas and the what the loss of Christ as Savior and Messiah means. We can learn about different cultures and their expression of the holiday, always bringing it back to the truth of Jesus' virgin birth and the miracle God performed for His people.

As we enter into the Advent season, we ask that you continue in prayer for wisdom as we deal with our home in Laramie. It has been on the market for almost a year, and interest in it has dwindled over the past couple of months. We are working with an agent within the loan company to try to find a solution, and we ask that God would really make His way clear. Psalm 25:4-5 says, "Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior." We hold on to these verses, knowing that God is the only One who can see down this path He has carved out for us, trusting Him to reveal the next step in His time.

Thank you for your partnership in prayer, encouragement, and support. You mean a great deal to us!

The Family of God

What a week! After the flurry of opening weekend of pheasant season, I foolishly thought things would slow down a little. While the number of people here is fewer, we've been kept busier. Since we're dealing with smaller groups, Tim and I are doing the cooking, guiding, and hosting for each pheasant hunt group, and we've had people staying in the Prairie House (a cottage used for personal retreats and very small groups) all week, too.

We interact with these smaller groups in a different way--it's like they become part of our family as we spend the day with them, eat with them, and sit back from the dinner table just chatting. Last night our guests from the Prairie House joined our hunters and we all enjoyed a time of fellowship. After dinner, the lone female guest and I carried the dishes to the back kitchen while the hunters and the other guest talked with Tim. Vonda and I discovered many commonalities (we're both preacher's kids, interested in design, music teachers) and were able to encourage each other. As we returned to the dining area, Tim told me that he and Lloyd (Vonda's husband) had discovered a common link, someone we all know from western Nebraska.

Later, as Tim and I finished up the dishes, I told Tim, this evening makes me think of a song, "The Family of God". He laughed and then said, "That's the song Vonda was playing on the organ in the chapel when I gave them a tour."

God brings so many different people to this ministry in rural Kansas. We encourage and strengthen, but often finds that God uses them in our lives to encourage and strengthen us. And within the community of believers are so many connections! Thank you for your prayers and support as we serve the body of Christ in northwest Kansas!

It's a flurry of activity here at Shepherd's Staff! Gwen is getting ready for a group of scrapbookers, and Tim is helping to prepare for the many pheasant hunters that begin to arrive today. When we look at last year's calendar compared to the past four months, we really see how God is using us to increase activity here at Shepherd's Staff.

We ask for your continued prayers as we work to find our place here in this ministry. It's hard to add a new person/couple to a team, and sometimes we really feel Satan working against any forward progress. We so value your prayers.

A Season of Thanks

We shared a neat experience with the Rexford Community Church on Sunday. After a quick soup & salad potluck, we wrapped and packed boxes for Operation Christmas Child. This Samaritan's Purse outreach has always been close to the heart of our family, so it was neat to get to participate with other believers. Church members spend each year purchasing items for this event; there were eight or more tables filled with things to put in the boxes.

Gwen had the joy of helping Natasha pack boxes. She understood that each box needed specific things (soap, wash cloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, candy, stuffed animal) and then would carefully choose what she thought another child would enjoy. Each box was special: one was filled with art supplies, another with games, another with little toys. She tried to get a pair of shoes into each one, and was disappointed when we couldn't make them fit into one box.

Meanwhile, Jesalynn worked on her own. She had used twelve dollars from her piggy bank to purchase items for this project, and you could see her joy in helping others.

Tim and Tyson worked together to fill boxes and again, great care went into each box. We were so happy to see the joy that our children are learning to find in serving others.

Gonna Put On The Old Travelin' Hat

I'm not sure those are the words to the Tanya Tucker song I'm thinking of, but close enough. The Griffiths family is on the move this week, and it's already been a great trip.

We had lunch with friends yesterday, a couple who worked at Table in the Wilderness while we were there. It was such a refreshing time to eat with them, catch up on news, and just connect for an hour. God blessed us through their presence, and I pray that they felt blessed when they left, too.

We hit Laramie in time for Awana; lots of familiar faces jammed into 90 minutes. Sometimes it's almost hard to come home, especially so soon after our leaving (we've been gone for almost 6 months now). The joy of seeing friends is still tinged with the sorrow of leaving them; nothing's quite the same as it was.

Supper was with the Table in the Wilderness crew, and again, such a blessing heaped upon us. I think it was these TWM people that taught us that people working in ministry could be family to each other. Falling back into close conversation, knowing that each person truly cared to hear the answers to the questions they asked...it's a big deal. It was hard to hug each one goodbye, knowing that "see you later" doesn't mean tomorrow or next week. But again, that blessing thing. To circle together and pray, to hold hands, to be a body of believers together, that means a lot.

We'll spend the next six days fundraising, connecting with existing supporters, and squeezing in time with friends. Each encounter will hold the joy of reconnection and the bittersweet of parting. And I pray that we impart a blessing along the way, too.

God continues to emphasize to us that His plans are so different from ours, that our job is not to make His will happen, but to allow Him to work His will through us. We're still waiting for His plan for the sale of our home, but learning to trust Him more fully. We are so thankful for those who support us financially and in prayer, for those who serve as an encouragement to us. We're all part of God's community, and even when we part, we know that we'll be together again one day. Thanks, God.

Worship Watching

There have been a few instances lately where I've had the chance to observe people engaged in worship. What a privilege! Whether it's a group of Teens for Christ (TFC) youth or a worship minister from Max Lucado's church in Texas, I saw people giving themselves to their King, concentrating only on worshipping Him.

We'll be on the road next week, traveling to Laramie and western Nebraska. While in the Scottsbluff area, we will host a spaghetti dinner at noon at the Monument Bible Church in Scottsbluff. We'd love to have the chance to visit with you during this time! The dinner is free; there will be a basket for free-will donations for those who feel so led.

It's still busy here in our corner of Kansas. Tim has logged a couple of thousand miles in the past month as he traveled to meet with pastors and ministerial alliances and other lay people. We are excited about what God is doing in the Shepherd's Staff ministry.

We ask for your continued prayers for the sale of our house.

Squeezing In A Post

Life has been busy in the little town of Rexford, Kansas. Somedays it feels like there is so much to be done...that it would require two or three of each of us to even come close to accomplishing it all! Sometimes it is overwhelming...to try to discover which of the many possible paths will lead this ministry to successful service, to see so many needs that need to be met, to try to make contacts and schedule events and everything else entailed.

But it's also exciting to look to the future, to see what God will do here, through us.

This weekend is a full one. Christian Challenge came to paintball and enjoy a hot-dog roast; before they left the monthly Teens For Christ (TFC) group arrived for their Edges meeting. (Check out the Shepherd's Staff FaceBook page for pictures of both events.) These teens had burgers, fries, and milkshakes (Gwen learned that it takes about 90 minutes to make all those shakes!), then participated in their own Amazing Race, followed by worship and a speaker. We're excited to develop relationships with these kids over the coming months.

Tomorrow we'll host another Family Movie; this time it's Letters To God. This is a way for us to build relationships with the community. Then Tim will head to McCook with a vanload of guys to a conference with a special speaker on purity. Please pray that these men will hear and take to heart the message given there.

We have so much more to tell, but no more time. Thank you for praying, for reading, for being at the other end of our computer screen.

Picking Up Steam

[edit] I am so amazed by God's provision! Last week the air conditioner went out of our van, and when we finally heard back from the mechanic, we were quoted $800-$1200 for a new compressor. When they got under the hood, they realized the problem might just be the clutch in the compressor, only $300. This morning, just after I wrote the post below, the mechanic called back to say they had found a used clutch that would work in the van. I had been stressed about how we (or God) would pay for the repairs, and He has been working before I even asked Him to make the situation far better than we expected. Thanks, God! You're amazing! [end edit]

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Wow, the weeks sure pass quickly here. I'm having a hard time getting my mind around "September 1". I'm looking forward to September, though: cooler weather and hopefully the end of allergy season. September also marks a couple of big events at Shepherd's Staff, a trip home to Nebraska, and the beginning of an adventure for Gwen.

We've been attending the Colby Berean Church on Saturday nights. It's a time when we can both worship and be ministered to together, regardless of where Tim has to speak the next morning. The church started this Saturday service in May and has been trying to get a worship team started. Gwen was asked to participate, and the worship team will play for the first time this Sunday (September 5). It has been such a blessing to be a part of this ministry. God has put such a great vision in the heart of the leader (some of you Scottsbluffers may remember Jason Purdy), and has given unity and focus to the group as a whole. Gwen has really missed being part of the worship experience in this way, and is thankful that God has answered her desire.

In other news, Nattie started preschool this week. Yes, I know we homeschool, but the local school district offers a preschool program (2 mornings a week for Natasha), and in the interest of supporting the community and school system we decided to enroll her. This will also give Gwen two mornings each week to concentrate solely on Tyson and Jesalynn.

Also coming up in the very near future: Tim will spend a lot of time on the road as he hits as many ministerial alliance meetings as possible (see at least five in the next week). We have a paintball event on Saturday. The kids have soccer practice and games, and the local kids' club will be starting soon, followed by Awana. Oh, and Gwen is taking a class on Web Design this semester; thankfully, it is an online course, so no extra traveling is involved.

September 11 we'll be hosting two events: an Awana Training Simulcast and our Trap Shoot Fundraiser. We'd appreciate your prayers for both events; so far we haven't seen a lot of registrations, but we know that God will provide exactly what we need. Both events are a chance to reach out--to churches and individuals--and let others know about the amazing ministry here at Shepherd's Staff.

I'm so excited to share with you about our weekend. You may remember that Tim's position is called Director of Ministry Development, but you may not be sure what that actually means, or what that has to do with the past weekend. Well, first things first. As Director of Ministry Development, Tim's primary goals are to increase awareness of Shepherd's Staff and increase bookings throughout the next 15 months. When we came at the beginning of summer, the ministry had a few bookings for summer, and nothing through the end of the year.

Well, things have changed a bit since we came, and this weekend is a good example. We started out with a paintball group from Goodland Baptist. They came in to play paintball and have a hot dog roast at the paintball park. Our second group arrived in time for supper, which they enjoyed at the Ranch House. They then joined in on our other weekend activity: Family Movie Night. The eight Sublette paintballers and about a dozen local people watched Prince Caspian. Gwen really enjoyed bantering with local kids and Tim led a discussion afterwards. The Sublette group stayed overnight and played paintball in the morning before doing their own hot dog roast and heading home.

While the fall schedule is not yet booked to capacity, we definitely see an increase in events. God is using Tim, providing contacts, and allowing us to reach others for Him while here in northwest Kansas. We are so grateful for each of you who pray for and support us in this ministry, and we are so excited to continue to share with you how God is working.

It is always so encouraging and amazing to see God's provision for us: for our family, for this ministry we are serving, for the everyday mundane things we often don't even think about. The Griffiths family has seen this provision so much in the past week, and it is a great reminder of the power of the God we serve and seek.

It seems like there are so many avenues God uses to bless us. Whether it's a period where it looks like we might be short on funds, only to see them come in, or a donation towards the upcoming Trap Shoot (September 11), or people willing to help with a future event, God supplies our needs before we even know we have them. Even the little frustrations we face every day are a reminder that God is in control, even when we feel like we aren't.

Bookings for Shepherd's Staff continue to come in. Tim has been running a Fifty Dollar Paintball Special for August and September bookings, and we are getting to the point where the weekends are just about filled up. We are excited to share Christ's love with each person who comes out for this activity.

Friday we'll be hosting a Free Family Movie Night in the Shepherd's Staff theatre (the Hall). We're going to show "Prince Caspian" and have discussion questions available for anyone who wants them.

We've also started to ease into the school year here in the Griffiths home. So far we've started with math and phonics/spelling, done a little science (with plans for an experiment on Friday!), gotten back into the piano practicing routine, and even tried a little Latin. The kids are really enjoying this.

There's so much going on right now; a quick blog entry can't possibly fill you in on everything. We had a very encouraging meeting with a board member last night, right when we needed some refreshment and the reminder to be patient. The kids are looking at the start of the soccer season (a first for Jesalynn) and it seems like every day has something exciting in it. We so appreciate your prayers for us as we serve God in northwestern Kansas, and we pray that you join with us in praising a wonderful God!

We're praising God for a great first experience: the annual Shepherd's Staff Golf Tournament. This is the third year for this event, but the first for Tim and I. It was originally scheduled for early June, but when we arrived in mid-May, there just wasn't enough time to get everything put together.

Fourteen men got together to "scramble" around the golf course in Curtis, Nebraska on Saturday, August 7. Despite the typical August heat, everyone seemed to have a good time. We don't have a final count on funds raised for Shepherd's Staff yet, but we are pleased with the results so far.

A friend and supporter also visited us this weekend, including taking part in the tournament. It was a blessing to have him just sort of jump in to family life with us and to be on the receiving end of some of his computer knowledge!

School will be starting in 2 weeks here and we are starting to get ready for that. Since we school at home, we're starting to set our school-day routines again and we're working on a little bit of school work each day. Please be praying for balance for Gwen as she adds school back into a mix that already includes time spent working for Shepherd's Staff and running our household.

Friends,

We feel a little surprised to discover ourselves in August, when we're pretty sure that last time we looked it was mid-July! We are thankful for time spent with family during the last two weeks of July and looking forward to upcoming events at Shepherd's Staff.

Saturday we'll be holding the annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser in Curtis, Nebraska. This is the third year for the event, but the first time we'll be experiencing it. The golfers participate for free but are asked to raise pledges (remember the Bike-a-thon?) that go to the ministry here. So far we are expecting 12-16 golfers and are excited to see how the event will go.

Family-wise, we're starting to think about school. Gwen will be educating Tyson and Jesalynn at home again this year. We have decided to send Natasha to the public preschool two mornings a week to give Gwen and the kids some focused school time and to help show the community that we are not "against" their school. It is a hard balance--doing what you feel is right for your family while also considering how those choices will affect the ministry you are working for.

Gwen is also looking for piano students; would you pray that she will be able to make contacts towards that?

Finally, we want to share with you a joy in our family. One of the blessings of working for a ministry is that we get to spend a great portion of our time (even when working) with our children. Lately Natasha has become very aware of the role that Jesus plays in our family. She asks lots of questions (many of them the same ones over and over) and is genuinely learning about a relationship with him. We continue to pray that God will draw all three children closer to Him each day and that He will use them for His work in a mighty way.

Teaching Through Doing

Well, it finally feels like Kansas. Near-100 degree weather most days and lots of humidity. As usual, God can work in any setting, in any climate, to impact people for His name.

This week Shepherd's Staff is hosting 23 missionary families (about 85 people) from a five-state area. It's been fun to see familiar faces, learn new names, and discover connections. Tonight we took part in the worship. I (Gwen) stood in the back so I could be available to answer questions or help if needed, and it was so wonderful to hear so many voices blend together in praise of our Lord. Later I helped with the children's program and was again impressed by the way 20 or so missionary kids took part. They prayed, learned about the beginnings of Hudson Taylor's call to China, and sang songs. They are so young, but they are already learning how to reach others with the call of Christ.

I'm also noticing how my children learn to serve Christ by serving with me. Tonight they helped put glasses on the dinner table; last week the girls helped me vacuum the stairs. They are so eager to help and to serve, and it is my desire that we will be able to continue to foster that attitude within each one.

Spring Cleaning...in Summer

Wow! We spent all of last week preparing one of our facilities, Hiram Hall, for the upcoming Village Missions conference. We swept and mopped, painted and organized, even made minor repairs. This building will be used quite a lot next week, so it was important that it be sparkling clean. We're looking forward to the conference and sharing about Shepherd's Staff with the many missionary pastors who will attend. Part of the mission of Shepherd's Staff is to minister to the rural church: its pastor, and its congregation, and these missionary pastors are definitely rural!

One neat thing about this mini-makeover was how much our children were involved. Tyson and Jesalynn both helped with painting, and Natasha and Jesalynn worked very hard one afternoon to vacuum the stairs. Sometimes the kids were just around, hanging out in the basement or watching a movie on the big theatre screen, but often they were chatting with us and learning about service. What a joy to see them continuing to develop a heart of service!

On another note, Gwen has started work on a relaunch of the Shepherd's Staff website. As part of this work, she's reading a book on designing with web standards and another on designing graphics. Sometimes she feels like she's gone back to college! She's looking forward to putting some of this new knowledge into practice very soon!

We so appreciate your prayers for us. There's a lot of work yet to be done here in Kansas, and challenges to face each day. We are learning to lean on God all the more, to align our hearts with His over and over again.

July 2, 2010

You know it's been a busy week when you struggle to even come up with a decent title for a blog post! We headed back to western Nebraska last weekend and spent five busy days connecting with family, friends and supporters in various ways.

Thursday we stopped in Sidney to share watermelon at the park. The group was small, but we got to share about our new ministry to people that we hadn't had the chance to do that with before. On Friday we attended the memorial service for a friend; it was sad to think of his passing, but so good to visit with his wife and hear how God is working there.

Saturday found Tim out on the golf course early in the morning while Gwen met an old school friend for breakfast. Both of us were encouraged by these meetings and enjoyed catching up. That afternoon we headed out to the lake with Tim's family and relaxed for a couple of hours while enjoying God's creation.

On Sunday we attended church at Calvary Memorial in Gering and then held a spaghetti feed to let people know more about our work in Kansas. What a blessing to sit and chat with friends and family!

Monday found us throwing a surprise birthday party for Tyson. We met some of his friends and their families at Vedawoo for cake and climbing.

We finally headed home on Tuesday. Now we're trying to catch up...planning for a big conference mid-July, getting the word out about fall events, and doing our best to promote this ministry. Pray for us as we seek to follow God's guidance and to serve the people who come to Shepherd's Staff in the best way possible.

Come Have Lunch With Us!

Hey, all. We're settling in for a week of work after a great week of Creative Arts Camp. I'm loading pictures to the Shepherd's Staff FaceBook group on and off this week, so be sure to stop by and join the group, then check out the pics and jump into a discussion.

We want to invite all of you to join us for lunch on Sunday, June 27, at Calvary Memorial Church in Gering, Nebraska. We'll be serving up some amazing spaghetti and garlic bread after the service. We'd love to have the chance to visit with you in person, to share what in the world we're doing out here in northwestern Kansas, and to answer any questions you may have. And hey, you can't beat a free Sunday dinner! (We will have a basket for a free-will offering.)

Creative Arts Camp went really well. Here's a picture of Jesalynn and another camper working on their devotions for the day. The kids experienced a good mix of Bible truths, creative fun, and more fun. The final program on Friday night was pretty impressive--everything from bell performances to karate demonstrations to puppetry and drama. Everyone played a part in the performance; Tyson and Jesalynn both had a chance to hold a puppet or two up and told me how tiring it was. They are already looking forward to next year.

Next on our horizon are a series of pulpit filling (Tim), a trip back to western Nebraska, and lots of meetings and phone calls to book dates for later in the season. We're working on getting promotional materials together for Paintball Weekends, our annual golf tournament fundraiser, an annual trap shoot, pheasant hunting, a Crop 'n' Clip scrapbooking weekend, a Pastor Appreciation Package, and more. If any of these strike a chord with you, email us (griffithsgang@gmail.com) for more info!

Creative Arts Camp

It's the end of the beginning in the picture above, as students practice holding up props for the big performance on Friday.

This week we've been hosting 20 or so kids for the annual Creative Arts Camp. The kids are learning about music, drama, puppetry, ceramics, leathercraft, and more, as well as participating in fun activities like paintball and the bounce house. Friday night they'll throw a big performance to show their parents what they've learned.

It's been a good chance to share with the kids about topics like God's love, respect for leaders, and sharing God's Word with others. Tyson and Jesalynn are campers and have really enjoyed it. Natasha has enjoyed this week of being an "only child", but will be thrilled to have her brother and sister back again.

New Adventures.

It's the day after Memorial Day weekend, and the atmosphere has sure changed in our little corner of Kansas. Last week we were making contacts, working on an update, figuring out the calendar, and puttering in our little garden in the evenings. This week, all attention is focused on the upcoming Creative Arts Camp.

Since we're brand new here, we're having to jump in right in the middle. Tim is out checking a pool for leaks and filling it, preparing the BB gun range, and making sure the campfire pit is ready to go. I'm trying to make sure my "best-laid" plans for a music class are doable, setting up music for chapel time, and teaching for a VBS in Oberlin (a larger town to the northeast of us). Tyson and Jesalynn are enjoying VBS and anticipating their week as campers next week. It's a little busy around here!

We'll be updating this blog as regularly as we can, and adding pictures as we have them. I wanted to draw your attention to the PayPal button to the left; you can use this for automatic monthly giving. (PayPal uses the word "subscribe" to describe that.)

I'll keep this short today because there's much to do, but I want to leave you with a few praises and prayer requests. Our home in Laramie is still on the market--one of our biggest prayers. We've unpacked all of our boxes and are settled into our new home--a big praise. Please pray for the kids who will attend Creative Arts Camp June 6-11--that they will not only enjoy the activities planned for them, but that God would use this time to draw them closer to Him.

(Picture is from the day we discovered Monument Rocks, about 45 minutes south of us. Who knew there were gigantic rock formations on the Kansas plains?)

Greetings from Kansas! We're settling into life here, and finding our way around a new ministry. We'll be updating on a more regular basis, adding pictures and other fun things. Stop by soon to see what's new!